Be Fluid

Now when exploring a new location for the first time, it is important to take your time and look at the area with your photographer’s eye, otherwise, you may miss an opportunity to photograph an area, and given that this was my first time at this location with my camera, you would think that I would take my own advice? Absolutely not, as on this occasion I wasn’t exploring alone, I was tagging along with a local who knew the way and more about the areas of interest.

However, even with this knowledge we decided that a different approach would be needed, not a fixed and steady one, but more of a run-and-gun one. The reason was the light was fleeting and the gaps in the clouds were moving fast, resulting in possible shots coming and going just as fast. We need to allow the light to guide us on this adventure, be fluid in our approach and be on the lookout for compositions on the fly.

I had already had a taste for the area which I detailed in my last Blog and Video, and as we continued to drive along the many winding roads, I was drawn to the scenery and captivated by the light. The views in this area of Connemara were simply stunning, and I wonder what would be the first thing to stop us in our tracks, grab the cameras and shoot?

I didn’t have that long to wait, as we drove over a mountain road, we spotted a corpse of trees sitting proudly on the hillside, with some stunning mountains behind them, and then as if we ordered it the clouds parted and the light arrived to cast its glow on them and the entire scene. We would need to be quick, and I was immediately reminded about Bernard's ability to get his camera out and be at the vantage spot, faster than you can say “Hey, look at the light, let’s pull over” As Bernard came to an almost immediate stop, he was out of the vehicle, round the back and was gone with his camera in hand and tripod over his shoulder. I on the other hand had a bit more to do to be in place, I needed to put on my hiking boots for starters, and I also then had to change over to my 70-200, before I could take the short hike after the mountain goat, to be in position to shoot.

Now, if you’ve ever been in a hurry to do something, you may be aware that it seems to take you longer than you would like to get it done if you are rushing, and as I fumbled with my laces, my camera bag and my lens changeout, I was thinking I would miss the moment and the light would be gone. Add into the mix the terrain I would then have to traverse, It was a bog, so the chance of a misplaced step resulting in knee-high plunder was unfortunately a real option. As I walked over towards Bernard, I was pleased to find that the light was going to stay long enough and I wasn’t going to end up knee-deep in turf. Reaching the shooting spot in time was a relief and I began to set up my camera while trying to vlog at the same time. It was then that Bernard's experience as an accomplished workshop leader took over, He grabbed my tripod from me and set it up without even being asked, and of course, I was thankful as I was now ready to shoot the scene in front of me while I still had the light.

The trees stood proud on the hillside, the mountain behind was partially covered and the clouds were moving at a pace even Usain Bolt would be proud of. This meant that the resulting light was always in motion plus it meant that I would need to time my shot right. A Good trick here is to set your camera up on high-speed shooting mode, as you may miss the best of the light if you are waiting for that exact moment. It also means that you can capture the light as it travels along its path and casts its glow at different stages along the way. Another good trick is to have your computer nailed and then all you need to do is wait for the light to arrive. As I hit the shutter, I could feel the light changing, I had made it just in time as it was over as fast as it had arrived. Thankfully, even with all my fumbling, I had managed to get the light in a shot and was even more excited for what was to come.

As I pointed out at the beginning and also in the title of this blog, you need to be fluid in your approach when the light is so dynamic, If you are fixed in one area, then you will see the light breaking elsewhere and may not be in a position to photograph it. Thankfully both myself and Bernard were as fluid as water on this occasion, and as we watched the light dance all around us, we were off in search of our next compositions. This light was doing a great job of leading us and Bernard was doing an equally great job of guiding our routes over and through the many roads we travelled on. We could see shafts of light coming over the mountains in the distance and Bernard announced he had the perfect spot to shoot them. A boathouse, on a lake with the mountains as a perfect background.

This next location couldn’t have been easier to get to, it was right on the side of the road, and the shooting spot was literally on the road, so we once again parked up and were off quicker than we had stopped to get into position and start shooting. Thankfully I was faster out of the traps for this one, and was even right behind Bernard as he raced along the roadside to ensure the opportunity wasn’t missed, and, as I cleared the trees that lined the road, a magnificent view opened up before me.

From our viewpoint we could see the lake below, the boathouse facing us and the mountains in the background, being licked by light like something out of a postcard. There was one challenge here however, the cloud levels and intensity were changing, it was clearing in large chunks unlike before where it was only allowing small amounts of light through, and the areas where it was covered were thicker than before, meaning the amount of light rays was considerable less than what we had witnessed upon approach. This didn’t stop us in any way, we set up the cameras and waited for the next wave of light beams to arrive.

It seemed that we weren’t going to get many, however, a small break allowed just enough I got to flow through and cast its glow right into a nook in the mountain opposite. I had my shot in the bag, although to be honest exposing it was a challenge due to the high contrast that the scene was presenting. I set up my video camera to record the movement and as I did we once again had another break, however this time we had multiple light shafts dancing right to left across the scene. I was ready to grab them, and exposed for the highlights to ensure I didn’t blow them. I figured the resulting images would need to be moody to bring out the rays as best as I could. It was a fantastic light show and dance and once again we were at the right spot to capture it all.

The thickening clouds would mean that the dynamic light show would be diminished going forward and as we drove along many roads in search of a gap we concluded that the spot we had wanted to visit next wouldn’t be a runner, as it was the very mountain range we had in mind, indeed that was the creator of all of this extra cloud. Time to once again be fluid in our approach, so we drove in the opposite direction to see what the light and clouds had in store for us next. After an hour or so of driving, we spotted a small river running next to the road and on that river was a deer, taking an afternoon drink of water, Time to slam on the breaks once more and pull over to a lay-by that thankfully was right next to the beast.

As I slowly opened the door and crept around to the back of the vehicle, I grabbed my camera and long lens and attempted to frame up my shot. My cover was blown however as the deer had spotted me and took off into the woods, damn it I thought, but then just as I figured the chance was gone, a second deer appeared and began to run in the same direction as the other before pausing for a split second to see what all the commotion was all about. I had my chance, so I took it and thankfully was able to get one shot in before it was gone into the woods and out of site.

Now as if the day hadn’t been eventful enough, I felt some drops of rain which were intertwined with breaking light, rainbow territory and low and behold, over my shoulder one began to appear, so I quickly framed it up, albeit without any great foreground to at least get a shot of it before it was gone, like the deer, away from the front of my camera. Once again being fluid was vital here, as each moment had arrived and left faster than that greyhound out of the traps from earlier.

We weren’t done yet though, I wanted to send my drone up as I liked how the river which ran alongside the road, was winding its way down the valley, through the trees and out again towards the hills and mountains in the distance. I would need elevation to be able to capture the scene in one shot and as I sent the drone up I could see that my vision would become a reality. The scene which ended up being the cover for this adventure was stunning, I even had some fleeting light in the shot, fitting I felt as if it was what guided us for the day already.

So as I finish up this story of adventure I am once again reminded about the importance of being fluid, not sticking to a set plan and being ready to capture a moment before it is gone forever.

You can watch the video for this day on my YouTube Channel ( linked below ) and you can see the images I managed to bag below.

Thanks for reading, and your continued support

Darren